Divider structure



Sept. 10, 1940. E. F. BURDICK DIVIDER STRUCTURE Filed 1958 v I INVENTOR EMORY BURD/U/r,

A TTORNE y bent as at 24 to provide grooves 26.

Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES E TENT OFFICE- 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an adjustable divider structure particularly adapted for drawers or the like.

It is often desirable to divide a compartment into several sections and to have a ready made construction which can be quickly applied to various sized compartments.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an adjustable wall structure which. is longitudinally and transversely adjustable as to length or width.

Another object of the invention is to provide separable wall members which may be readily assembled and disassembled so that the walls may be laid one on the other in a small package for merchandising.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure which, when assembled, is self-locking and the connecting portions are concealed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of my improved divider structure applied to a drawer;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a container showing the parts of the structure in the container for shipment or merchandising.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a drawer ill having front and rear end walls I2 and M, respectively, and longitudinal side walls .n. The divider structure comprises a longitudinally extending wall l8 which is adjustable and a transversely extending wall 2t which is adjustable and which is detachably received on the wall H3. The walls is and 20 are substantially duplicates except for length and end attaching means.

The walls i8 and 28 are formed of two platelike members, preferably of sheet metal. One member 22 is formed from flat sheet material having its opposite longitudinal edges reversely The other member 28 is formed from flat sheet material and has its opposite longitudinal edges received in the grooves 26. By this arrangement one of the members is longitudinally slidable relative to the other.

The part 22 of the member I8 has its outer end provided with an attaching tab 30 through which a nail, screw or the like may be inserted to secure the member to a wall of the drawer I0. The part 28 has its outer end provided with an attaching the structure tab 32 for securing it to an opposite wall of the drawer it. The part 28 of the member 20 has its outer end provided with a tab 3 for securing it to a wall of the drawer it]. The outer end of the part of member it has a tab 35 which may be in the plane of the member 22 before assembly as shown and after assembly bent at right angles to the plane of the member 22 or it may be originally formed at right angles thereto.

An opening 38 is provided in the part 22 of the member 58 for receiving the tab 35. When the latter is bent before assembly it can be hooked in the opening 38 with the walls i8 and 29 in sub:- stantially parallel relation and when in position the walls may be swung at right angles to each other as shown.

The parts 28 of the members 18 and 20 are each provided with a longitudinally extending depressed portion ttl substantially of a depth equal tothe thickness of the tabs. This permits the part 28 to slide over the tab (it when it is bent at right angles to the member 28 and in assembled position.

The part 22 of the member 28 is provided with one or more openings 42 for receiving longitudinally extending walls til, the number depending on the number of compartments desired. One end of each wall lfll is provided with tabs at each having an opening :28 for receiving a securing means such as a nail or screw whereby the ends of the walls may be secured to a wall of the drawer Iii.

The opposite ends of the walls it are provided with tabs it, one shown parallel to wall i l and the other shown bent at right angles to the wall it. As explained above, these tabs may be originally bent at right angles or may be bent after assembly. After the tabs at are inserted in. the openings :2 and in a plane parallel to the member 26, the part 28 of the member 26 is slid over the tabs with the latter locked and concealed.

With reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen how be assembled in a small package for shipment and merchandising. The parts are easily assembled and by providing both longitudinal and transverse adjustment a standard product can be manufactured to fit various sized compartments.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes, including the size, shape and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is not my intention to limit the scope thereof other than by the terms of the appended claim.

What I claim is: guides, said first named member being provided An adjustable divider structure comprising a with openings, other metallic members each havmetallic member having its opposite longitudinaling a tab at One end thereof normal 130 the Plane ly extending Walls reversely bent to form guides, of Said members and adapted to b Ge Ved i t m member i verlapping l ti it the openings of said second named members and 5 said first named metallic member having a lon- BOVeTed y Said first named membersgitudinally depressed portion and slidable in said EMORY U K- 

